Round Peg in a Square Hole
by Sakate
Summary: Simon goes to desperate lengths to pay for the medication necessary to treat his sister. Takes place before Ariel, sometime after or around shindig diverging into AU from there. Simon!whump, turns into eventual slash, pairing TBD.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes:

Hey all – just a beginner, so try to go easy on me. I love Simon slash fics, especially Mal/Simon or Jayne/Simon, and this is partially in homage/inspired from a fanfiction author named Juli, who wrote a one-chapter fic on Simon struggling with fitting in and a spring in his mattress, the poor baby. Her work is awesome (pm if you want a link to her site), and hopefully this will be my own version and extension of some of her ideas.

Definitely gonna be AU diverging from some point before Ariel. I may work in aspects of Safe/Ariel into the story later on, but it's definitely not going to be canon and or missing obscure little details so no complaints! My writing, my artistic liberty, mwahaha! Of course, general critic is always welcome. Flamers will burst into little poofs of sunshine and rainbows.

I will take suggestions for shipping, because I'm not sure exactly where this story is going to wind up. Just enjoying writing something un-science/research related.

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"meimei...River! You need to take your meds -"

Simon grunted as River squirmed and struggled, escaping his grasp with one last frenzied kick and an elbow into his solar plexus.

CRASH

Simon stopped his attempts to restrain his sister, gazing down at the shattered syringe on the floor.

"Won't do it – not helping!" River shouted, eyes glistening in frustration as she stood in the corner of the infirmary. "You said it was time to wake up, but you're the one stuck in the dream. Your hands are staining blue, just want the pretty dancing doll, but don't know how to make the glue to stick the pieces back together."

"What is going on in here?"

Simon turned to see Mal standing at the infirmary's entrance, frowning at the mess of equipment and the broken shards of glass on the floor. River took Simon's temporary distraction to skirt around the glass and Mal, quickly disappearing. Simon sighed in frustration, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose to stave off the headache growing quickly at his temples.

"I'm sorry, River -"

"Apologies won't replace all the equipment and supplies you seem to have broken or wasted in the short few months you've been on my boat." Mal crossed his arms and leaned forward. "Your sister is your responsibility, son. Now I've gone out of my way to help you two to remain out of the Alliance's reach, let your stay on my ship, but it won't be at the cost of my crew. What happens if one of them gets injured in the next job, and we ain't got no supplies to patch them up because your sister seems determined to escape you?"

Simon's frustration peaked, his voice rising with each sentence. "I can't help figure out what's wrong with River if I have no medical supplies either! You haven't landed a job in months, I can't buy replacement medical supplies for the infirmary with no mone-"

Mal matched his raised volume, barking back at him. "You're not crew, and you don't get paid whether we have a job or not! I'm letting you and your sister stay on this damn boat in exchange for your medical skills, and MY money is not gonna be spent on supplies that are wasted because you can't keep the girl under control."

Simon flinched, backing down at the captain's angry words. He continued, seeing that he had taken control over the argument. "Persephone's our next stop. You broke it, you bought it – I expect to see those supplies replaced, no more excuses. Don't matter much how you do it, we'll be there for a few days. Maybe barter some of your doctoring skills to them that need it, but you'll do it with none of our remaining supplies, and the next time this happens, you'll not like the consequences. Dong ma?"

Simon nodded, head down.

Mal turned and strode out of the infirmary, leaving Simon to slowly sink to the ground, sitting on his heels and staring a hole into the ground. He had no money, having sacrificed everything he owned to rescue River from the Academy. If he couldn't use the ship's supplies, he very likely would be unable to treat anyone on Persephone for money, and if he risked trying a clinic, even a backwater one on the outskirts of Persephone, he might be identified and handed off to the Alliance. But he didn't bother explaining that to the Captain, not when it would only make things worse. He could try selling some of his clothes...what little he had brought with him, most was still in good condition, but it wouldn't cover the cost of replacing the supplies.

Simon sighed, standing back up and beginning to sort through the mess. He'd have to think of something soon – they were supposed to land in Persephone in two days.

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"No!"

"Meimei..."

Simon could feel his headache turn into a roaring migraine as he cornered his sister for the second time that day, this time in the corridor outside their rooms. As she lunged to get around him he managed to wrap an arm around her waist, finally raising the injector to her exposed shoulder. For his efforts, he was brutally kicked in the shin and knocked back into the base of a ladder, River darting away only to bump into the Shepard who had just stepped out of his room hearing the commotion. Book held her upright, stopping her own fall and keeping her from running for a third time.

Simon sat up, wincing in pain. "Thanks Shepard, I -"

"I think it's best you two were separated for a while, from the sound of things." Book commented, frowning down at the ruffled doctor sitting on the floor. His voice sounded mild, but when Simon met his gaze, his eyes were cold and his expression disappointed. River sniffled into his shoulder as he continued.

"I know you want to help your sister, but it might do you some good to stop being her doctor and start being her brother. You have a sharp mind, son, but you got to learn to handle things a mite gentler. That sharp tongue of yours has already hurt Kaylee. It seems to me you could stand to shed some of that core-bred pride and stop looking down at folks and expecting them to always see things your way. You do that, and maybe you'd see your sister hurting from *your* actions."

Simon swallowed at the shepard's scolding tone, and the sight of his sister crying and comforted by someone else. "But I..."

"I'll look after her for the rest of the evening."

Giving in to defeat Simon nodded silently, and Book led River down the hall and out of sight. Alone and aching, the silence only added to his frustration and despair. As sounds of cooking and laughter began to emerge from the kitchen some time later, he couldn't bring himself to eat, instead getting up from the floor and moving into his room, curling up on the hard mattress. He didn't know what to do. It felt like from the moment he had stepped foot on the ship, everything he said either seemed to make people angry or hurt.

He had grown up on the core, a place that was supposed to be the definition of fine breeding and behavior, but everything he knew about how to act and what to say seemed to always be wrong. And once Kaylee had gotten over her crush and was offended not only by his words but his lack on interest, her anger had swayed Inara. Wash understood his occasional slip of the tongue and sarcastic wit that were mistaken as sharp barbs, but Zoe and Jayne were inherently mistrustful of anyone core-bred.

Now, to make things even worse, his failure to find a cure for his sister's fluctuating symptoms would get them both tossed off the ship. The chances of them getting lucky again and finding another ship or location safe from the reach of the Alliance was slim to none, and he had no doubts that the moment that happened, they wouldn't last a day before he lost her forever to the Alliance. He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let that happen. As Simon drifted off to sleep, he promised himself that whatever it took, he'd find a way to keep the infirmary stocked...keep them on Serenity.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note:

Well I'm very touched by the fact that people reviewed (and enjoyed the first chapter)! I definitely wasn't expecting anybody to pay attention to this little fic, so thank you everyone – I'll try to do my best to keep it interesting and angsty but not too sappy, hahaha.

I want/am trying to portray the rest of the crew not as bad guys, per say...I was just always curious at how quickly Simon seemed to acclimate into the crew in the tv show and some of the scenes between Kaylee and Simon where his core-bred behavior got him into trouble. So this story is basically playing around with the "what if" scenario of the crew not being quite as accepting/understanding and fooling around with the mistrust the crew has for anything that comes out of the Core. They'll warm up to him eventually, never fear! There's just gonna be a little whump-action before that gets to happen.

Chapter 2:

Simon looked up as the ship jolted, Wash landing the Firefly into the crowded docks of Persephone. He smoothed a hand over a vest laid out on the bed. The blue and gold fabric was heavy, with a plain diamond crosshatch pattern that he had been told looked quite fetching on him. But such sentiments wouldn't keep him and River safe from the Alliance, and so it was carefully folded and stacked with the rest of his belongings he would be bartering, only keeping the bare necessities for life on the transport ship.

He would learn to give up his need for cleanliness. When baths were few and far between, a clean set of clothing had always been comforting – a reminder of a life he had left behind. What was one more thing, if it kept them safe? Just this one thing...

Resolved, Simon placed the clothes into a bag along with the few basic medical tools he could use without wasting the ship's remaining supplies or River's current treatment medication. He straightened, quickly heading for the cargo bay. At Simon's request, the shepherd had agreed to look after River during the day so he could leave the ship to try and replace the supplies. By the time he left the ship, the rest of the crew had already headed out to run errands and conduct their own business while Mal, Zoe, and Jayne set up the next job.

The city was bustling with activity, and Simon kept a mindful eye for Alliance or anyone who showed too keen of an interest in him as he walked. Despite the stubborn need driving his bargaining with shopkeepers, he was only able to get enough coin to cover a small portion of the costs to restock the infirmary. Speaking with one of the owners he had managed to ascertain that there were a few local clinics not run by the federation in the area, but because of the lack of support were not likely to be willing to pay for help, he suspected. He would still try, however, in the off-chance he would get lucky.

The first clinic was an immediate and absolute failure. Simon winced as he ducked into an alleyway, praying that no one had noticed and followed him. The chief physician had been polite but insistent.

"I'm sorry, but we can't hire you to work just for a couple days. There's paperwork and forms to submit to the federal board..."

"But you said you were extremely short-handed on staff...isn't there some sort of allowance for temporary staff to relieve the patient load?" Simon had pleaded, but he knew the answer before the physician even said it. Even if they did take him on, his fake ident cards did not carry his medical license; he wouldn't make it past the initial processing stage.

"I'm sorry, doctor Welson, I really am. If you were here for a a year, even a couple months we would take you on. But even though we're a small clinic we still report to the Alliance and comply under their regulations and policies. You understand?"

Simon nodded in defeat. "Yes, I know it was a lot to ask, I just...thank you for your time." As he left, he noticed a information board posted on the building next-door, a local supply store. His heart almost stopped as he glanced across it only to see a listing of federal warrants, two of which were of him and his sister. He had immediately panicked, ducking into a small, empty side street and walking as fast as he could until he could run without drawing attention to himself. If someone had seen him...he would have to try the outer areas of Persephone, where the Alliance had less control and thus fewer patrols who could potentially spot him.

The next clinic was nothing more than a shanty built of wreckage and ship parts, and the man running it shook his head at Simon's request. "...man with your look and skills, we couldn't afford you even for five minutes. These people barter goods if they got em', otherwise we do what we can; we can't pay you in anything except gratitude." He glanced at Simon over his shoulder as he picked up a little girl who he'd been examining and set her back down on the ground so she could scamper off to her mother, who was sitting a little bit away off to the side of the room. He nodded to them then turned to face Simon again.

"Look. You can try and approach people on the street, sell your skills as a doctor but it ain't gonna work unless you find a goodness to gracious need in some folk that need a doc and need them fast. Them as can pay, well, they'll head straight over to the nearest Alliance clinic. Those that can't who get hurt bad enough don't even bother trying. But you don't seem too keen to be anywhere near one of those fancier clinics, by the looks of it?"

Simon nodded.

"Seems to me, son, you may have to scrap the idea and look to what other skills you got. If you're as pressed for time as you say you are, then it don't really matter what the work is, as long as it pays."

The man reached a hand out to shake with Simon. Taking this as his dismissal from the clinic, Simon gave his thanks for the advice and walked out, feeling numb. Despite already having predicted this outcome, the hours wasted in attempting anyways weighed heavily on his mind. It was quickly turning into early evening...he would have to start heading back to Serenity soon, the journey out to the second clinic on the outskirts was far from the ports where they had landed, and he would have to skirt across the blackout zone to ensure he got back in time to give River her evening meds.

If she'd even take them. The last few days made him guilty; River was terrified of treatment after the time she had spent in the hands of the Alliance, but it was the only way he could try and stem the symptoms of psychosis so she could sleep and think without being battered by the thoughts and emotions of others.

As he passed through the darkening streets and alleyways, the city of Persephone was transforming itself from the day to day tasks of everyday folk to more illicit activities. Having been with Captain Reynolds and his crew even for a few weeks, Simon could pick out pockets of activity...a young boy, scruffy and gaunt eying a well-dressed couple walking down the street, his fingers twitching and eyes narrowed (potential pick-pocket victims). His guess was confirmed when another teen, slightly older but equally unkempt across the street made a subtle hand signal, and the two began to close in.

Down the next street, two men standing close to an unmarked entranceway traded money subtly through a handshake. As the doorway opened to allow the man in, Simon caught a glimpse of lights and music...a brothel. A private one, most likely quite shady to be so concealed. Unlike Inara and the companions guild, the poor men and women that were involved in such trade usually had no other option, having been sold into it or doing it simply as a means to survive.

He slowed, thinking. Companions were required to have annual check-ups for both their own safety and the safety of their clientèle. Brothels were independently run, so it depended on the owner, but the offer of medical exams and a seal of approval from a doctor might provide the ability to charge higher prices...it was an idea.

But one that would have to wait until the next day. With only three days left on Persephone (four if he was lucky, or if the crew was unlucky), this idea would have to work, otherwise he didn't want to think of the potential consequences if he failed.

End chapter


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